I hope you enjoyed our short and HOT summer. When you think about it, it still beats our long and COLD winters.

If you're still looking for chores to do, there are always a few I can mention:

* Finish planting fall bulbs.

* Clean up the garden tools.

* Make an appointment for sprinkler turnoff.

* Put away the hoses.

* Clean out roof gutters.

* Dig carrots and potatoes.

Tired yet? I got tired just thinking about them. As much as we love to garden, most of us are ready for a nice long rest by now. I know I am.

If you keep a gardening journal, be sure to jot down what worked and what didn't. Also, things you'd like to grow next year.

Then there is tree trimming. The experts say that this can be done any time EXCEPT when the leaves are falling in autumn or as the new ones are opening in spring. So do it right away or wait until the trees are bare.

Oops, I just thought of another chore - raking leaves. I only have pine trees, so no fall leaves to rake. I just get to clean them up all year-round! Sometimes I wonder how they keep from becoming completely bald.

I'm on a roll here; just thought of something else we need to do. Give all those trees a good soaking before you put away those hoses. They will get through winter in much better shape if they're not stressed for water.

Have you ever wondered what makes the leaves change color in the fall? Actually, they don't. Here's what happens. The chlorophyll in the leaves (the green part) actually fades away in late fall. When this happens, the colors can be seen. These have been there all along, just masked by the chlorophyll. The process begins when the nights get to a certain length. The best fall color happens when we have warm sunny days and cool nights.

Bring those houseplants back inside when the nights get down into the 40s. The tropical ones don't even want it that cold, as 50 is cold enough for them.

If you've been wanting to plant a new tree, fall is the best time to do so. Be sure to look at the roots before buying. If they are brown and mushy, put it back. Also try to avoid those with roots that circle around the rootball. If you still want one of those, be sure to pull those roots apart when you do the planting.

Most trees get planted too deeply. Only dig the hole the depth of the rootball, but quite a bit wider. Experts do not recommend adding any soil improvements because the roots will tend to stay in it rather than move out into the surrounding soil. Water well and often at first. If you must stake the tree, remove the stakes after a year.

The pesky ash aphids arrived in late September, as usual. Swarms of them can be seen near ash trees as they look for a good spot to lay eggs. Luckily, they don't hang around for long and disappear after a few weeks. But, like Arnold says, "I'll be baaaack!"

Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently serving as secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column appears in The Press every other Sunday from early March to late October.